Padding needle



i March 9 M. BALCKER PADDING NEEDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filled August 19, 1925*l N March 9 1926.

M. BALCKER PADDING NEEDLE Filed August 19 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lli/'lill Patented Mar. 9, 19.26.

'UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE.

MARTEN BALCKER, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, kASSIlG-NOR TO GEORGE J'. GOLDMAN AND NICHOLAS N. GOLDMAN, BOTH OF C-ICAGO, ILLINOIS. Y'

PAnnrNef'y NEEDLE. n

v Application filed August 19,'1925. Serial No. 51,198.

To all calzoni 'it may comfewt:

Be it known that I, MARTEN BALCKER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of' Cook and lState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Padding Needles, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to improvements in padding needles, yparticularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in its use for inserting the padding into cushions Afor automobiles.

The cushions for automobiles are generally formed of pleats or pipes by sewing or fastening two pieces of material together at intei-vals, and these pleats are then lilled with a padding, generally cotton orv hair, formed into a bat and threaded into the pipes or pleats. f

Heretofore thel filling material has usually been inserted by means of tubes of various construction into which the filling bat is threaded before the tube is inserted into the pleats or pipes.

After the tube with has been inserted into the pipes or` pleats, the tube is ywithdr-awn'and the filling visallowed to remain in thepi'pes or pleats.

Heretofore it has been necessary in order to remove the tube without withdrawing the filling material, for the operatorV to reach over to the other side of the cushion so as to grasp and hold the fillingmaterial with one hand, while he withdraws the tube from the other side of the cushion with the other hand. This operation is awkward and in-v convenient especially if the cushion is of a considerable width.

Furthermore, with such an operation the material is pulled from the tube with the result that the batrwill tear or separate, especially if the batcontains Weak spots, which is often the case.` The torn or separated material is then wasted or if employed in the cushion, the cushion will not be properly filled.

It is oneof the objects of the present invention to overcome these diiiiculties and objections and to,y provide an improved padding needle for feeding the material, such as cotton, hair or the like, into the cushion and of such a construction thatl the operator may use both hands on the same side ofthe cushionv for inserting the filled padding the material therein needle and for withdrawing thel needle while 51 the padding is allowed to vremainlin the pipes or pleats and without necessitating theA operator reaching to the other cushion.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved padding needle of4 this character' from which the pad or bat may be removed .by holding upon the. pad vadjacent f i the inlet end of the needle so that the pad will, so to speak, be pushed from then'eedle 6 as distinguished from being pulled from vthe tube as is necessary with the prior devices, and with the present invention all dan ger of tearing or separating the bat during the removal of the needle will be avoided. 7 A `further obj ect is to provide an improved form of paddingneedle whichwill' be automatically opened by the act of withdrawing the needle from the'pipes or pleats by reason of the fact that the friction created between the wall of the pipes or pleats upon the members or parts `of the needle during the withdrawing' operation of the needle will operate to, separate the parts or open the needle to reduce the pressure` of the parts of the needle upon the bat or filling and thereby allow the bat` or filling to be easily ejected or pushed from the needle.y i

To the attainment of these` endsy and the side ofthe accomplishment of other new and useful filling or padding inserted in one of the 95 i pleats of the cushion and with the latter partly broken away. i Figure 2, is'aview `similar to Figure l showing the needlepartially withdrawn.

Figure 3, is a right hand end elevation of 1 Figure 4.

Figure 4, is asectional view on line 4 4 Figure 6.

' Figure 5, is a sectional View on line 5-5 Figure 6. 105

Figure 6, is a sectional view on line 6-6 Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawv ings the numeral `designates an annular member of any desired configuration but preferably of a somewhat oval shape having a flared extremity V1 1 to `form a mouth to `direct the yfilling,I naterial or bat into the annular member. y j j j Connected with the member l0 are supports 13 which form brackets for supporting another annular member 14 which is longitudinally spaced from the member 10 and is arranged in alinement therewith, the dikaineter ofthe annular member 14 being larger than the diameter of the member 10. Connected with the structure thus formed is la handle" 15 by means of which the needle may be operated and transported, and if desired the handle may be provided with an aperture 16 for the connection of a `flexible Vsuspending device not shown) to relieve the operator of the weight of the needle and the material. i Y g ."The needle proper consists of two elongated, opposed and preferably semi-circular members `17 of substantiallyuniform size and shape one end 18 thereof being shaped `to form ajpointlilre extremity and the other extremity of each member is fiaredas at 19, `and-the liared extremities (3o-operate to assist in directing thewhlling material or `bat between themembers 17. i

- The members 17 are `supported preferably7 Vby the brackets or supports 13 in such a man Vner that the 4membersqwill be adapted for bodily lateral movement towards and from eachother and alsofor bodily longitudinal movement one with relation to the other and i. also with relation to the supports 13.

Theflared ends of the members 17 preferiably stand within the supporting structure by passing through the annular member 14 with the'f flared extremities 19 disposedin proximity to the annularmember 10 and in alinement therewith, so that the bat orV material passingwthrough the annular member 10 will be directed between the members 17.

The members 17 are supported in any suitable manner to adapt them for the relative lateral and longitudinal movements and to that end linksQO may be provided which are pivotally connected at one end as at 2l preferably to the brackets or supports 13 and are pivotally connected at their other endsas at latter to be stripped or pushed from the needle and the needle to be withdrawn from the pleat or piping inthe cushion.`

The annular member 14 serves as a means forlimiting the opening or lateral separat-V ing movement of the'member's 17 and the inward movement of thse members towards each Vother may be limited by the fia-red extremities 19 of the V'members engaging the Aedge of the annular member 10.

By reason of the fact that the members 17 are elongated and as thesupports therefor are located adjacent the inlet end of the needle, it will be manifestthat when the bat or i fillingv` is inserted into the needle, the other extremity of the members17 vconstituting the point of the needle `may be grasped by the hand `of the operator and pressed together, in any position of lthemenibers 17 with respect to each other, to grip the bat or filling, `as well as compress the same tofacilitatethe insertion of the needle-and the 'filling into the pleats or pipings 23 of the cushion, as they, members 17 will then assumepositions i withrespect to each other asto provide a somewhat tapering needle;

ln use Ythe batorwmaterial 24 is inserted through the annular member 1() between andV for substantially the entire length ofk the members 17, the` latter being preferably, rst laterally separated far aspossible.

The operator then grasps with one hand the forward or point end of the needle and compresses the bat by `forcing the adjacent y portionsof the'members 17` towards eachother.` `lith the other handV the operator opens the end of the pleat or piping.

[After the end of` theineedle has been in- Y serted into the endof the pleat the operator may then grasp thehandle 15 and force the needle into the pleat until the extremity or l point of the needle is adjacent the otherend of the pleat or as far into the pleat as itis desired to insert the bat or filling. j

It will be noted that the members 17 are arranged and so operate with` respect to each otherthat there willbe formed a space i betweenthe edges of the members and which space extends from one endto `the other end of the needle. This space `1s .important as it enables the `operator afterthe needle with the bat or filling therein is seated in the pipe orpleat, to place one or more fingers of the free hand into `the space on the side of the cushion. from which he `isoperating and adjacent the inlet end ofthe needle, to grip or exert a pressure upon the. bat and at the sameV time withdraw the needle from the pleat. By thus holding theibat, the needle may beremoved and the batwilly remain in the pleat and during the removingoperation of'the needle the bat or filling will be stripped or pushedofromL the needlek as distinguished` from being pulled therefrom.

Asthe needle is thus withdrawn from the Cil pleat the friction Yereatedbetween the outer of the meinbers l? and 'the'l wall of the pleat, or* pipe will cause the links 20, to swing about their pivots with the result thata -longitudinal movement will be imparted to the members l17 with respect yto thesupport 13 and at the Sametime the links 2O will clause theinembersl? to separate laterally and thereby 'release the bat or filling from the pressure of the members 17, with the further resnlt that the needle may be easily removed from the pleat and the 'bat will ,remain therein. l

After the needle has been removedpthe it'rwardends olfl the members 17 may'then be gripped and the 'bat pressed together tlie'rebyjand while the adj acentr Vedgebf the filled Apleat is compressed 'or held vby the other handwof the operator', the needle may be manipulatedrto 'sever the batjin proximity to 'the end of I-thefpleat to permit the filling, and the 'needle to'be nes 'plea y, With this improved 'construction all danger fof tearing or 'separating the portion of the batV within the p'leat will be avoided and by theuse ott-his' improved padding needle `vthe 'operator' perform his work from one sideforedg'e of the cushion l'and lie will not e required to reach over the cushionto the ether side or edge thereqf., s f t lVliile the preferred form otthe invention has beenhereinjshown and `described, it is'to be understood that various changes 7 may be made in the l"details oi constri'iction and -iii the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

hat is claimed as new is,

l. A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, said needle embodying opposed elongated members between which the material is held, and means supporting-said members for movements laterally one toward and away from the other and for movement longitudinally one with relation to the other, and means for guiding the material between the said members.

2. A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, said needle embodying vopposed elongated members between which the material is held, and means supporting said members for bodily movements laterally one toward and away from the other and for bodily movement longitudinally'one with relation to the other, and means for guiding the material between the said members.

3. A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, said needle embodying opposed elongated members between which the material is held, and means supporting said members for movements laterally one toward and away from the other and for movement longitudinally one with relation to the other.

inserted into the relation to the other and lfor longitudinal movement one withrelation to the other, and an annular member adjacent one end of material between the latter. v e

el A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, said needle embodyingopposed elongated members between which the material isl held, means supporting' said members for movement laterally'one toward and away from the other and for movement longitudinally one with relation to the other, anannular'member adjacent one end oit' the iirst said,k members and separate therefrom Ifor deliveringthe material between the latter, and a handle for. supporting the needle. padding needle -ior inserting filling into upholstery, said vneedle embodying iop-- posed elongated and constantly' laterally separated members'between which the mathe first said members for :delivering the teri'al is held, the material being ted between Y the members from "one end' thereof, and

means for supporting said members for bQdily movements l laterally 'towards and away from each other and for relative longitudinal'movement one with relation to the other. Y i l 7.' A padding needle Vfor inserting filling vinto upholstery, said needle embodyingv opposed elongated vand constantly laterally v"sepa'rated members between which the material is held, the material being fed between the members from one end thereof, means supporting said members lior bodily movements laterally towards and away from each other and for relative longitudinal'movements one with relation to the other, and

means limiting the lateral separating movements of the said members.

8. A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, said needle embodying op posed and elongated disconnected members between which the material is held, vsaid members being mounted with respect to each otherrto form an unobstructed space therebetween throughout substantially the length ot the members whereby an operator may hold the material at the inlet end of the members and withdraw the said members while the material is being held by the operator remote from the other extremity oi the needle.

9. A padding needle for inserting filling into upholstery, saidneedle embodying op posed elongated disconnected members be tween which the material is held, said members being mounted with respect to each other to form an unobstructed space therebetween tl'iroughout ,substantially the length oi the members whereby an operator may llO hold the material 'at `the inlet end of lthe members end Withdraw the seid members while the materielis being held by the operator remote from the other extremity of 4the needle, the said members being `siibstztii tielly uniform in size and shape.

` operator remote from the otherextrenviity of `the 'needle7 and an annular men'ibei'" independent of end `edyrcent the inlet `endof 1l.` A pidding needle i'oi" inserting" `filling into upholstery, szudkneedle embodying opposed seinifcii'ouler and independent meinA bers, `laterally spacedlto form zu continuous `space from one end to the other end ,of the members, and means mounting theinembers *for lateral movements towards and sway `from each other and l't'or lkoi'igltiidinalnioyements one with relation to the other. j

l2.` A padding needle for inserting filling `into upholstery, `seid needle einbodying` opposed` semi-circular and independent meinbers laterally spaced to form e continuous space from one` en d to the other end ofthe meiitsfoiie wi l'lilflseicl the Seidnieinbeys tor` deliyering the" ma?,

` teriel betweeiithe members. i tolzit'erally seperatethe lime@ members., lilevfls.` mounting .the members fer lateral movements towards" `and sway fm each other and for longitudinal ,movements one with' relation to the other,a,nd"ztn `aniifulzir memberindependent of and `disposed edjeeent` one end of saidinernbers lfor directingttliematei'inl therebetween. l 13. Apedding needle forinsertingilling Vinto upholstery, vseid needle embodying op posed semi-Circular and'` independent' mem-V bers, 'laterally spieed to forni afeontinuous spgieerom one end to theotlier end of `the members# :i nd' ineens moihiting the members for lfil'erzil n'ioyements towzird$niid ewuy :from e: 'h other end ifoij longitudinal `iiicve th relation to the other, infoomf h L ilexiblepiping into Whieli bination wi luie niidrl needle 'is adapted to heilige-ieee,

the friction 1eated between( Vthe pipingwll iiigopei'atio of the said` members",seritiiig rrid members.

members during the `vitli'drsiw#V ii; 'ii predilignezedie rer inseuiigifiiiieg into upholstery and` which contains land parts fotsnidneedle Withwresp'eet tpfezieh other in,"` it 1m annei" that the 'friction Vcreated betweenl'the well-of the pipingfztnd the seid parts of the needle; will opei'ziteto Cause the ,needle to release the, firigrteriiil .whereby the iiiiternl will' remain iii seid pipiiigwhen 4the needle is Withdrawn from` the piping.

grips, the iiiite'rial, and nlieitiis mountingfthe `'In testiinon ,whereof` I Ali ave signed "my neme to this lspeeifieation, on this', 13th Ldey MRT-CEN .BLCKRW 

